NBA draft bust admits: ‘I ate myself out of the league’

MICHAEL Sweetney signed a $6 million deal before he played a professional game. He could have made far more, but an unhealthy habit cut his career short.

HE was a top 10 draft pick who signed a $6 million deal before playing a game — but Michael Sweetney quickly became a very large cautionary tale.

The former Knicks lottery pick, selected ninth overall in 2003, will be back in New York on Saturday night, playing basketball on ESPN for a $1 million prize at Fordham’s Rose Hill Gym.

But money isn’t the only thing driving the formerly hefty Knicks power forward in this wild, new 18-and-over pick-up event called: “The Basketball Tournament.’’ Regaining his health and happiness is foremost.

Sweetney told The Post his NBA career was derailed because of a long and undiagnosed bout with clinical depression, causing him to eat too much and not take care of his body.

The 32-year-old only recently got professional help when he received the diagnosis. His weight still is at 320 pounds and he will wear a size 5XL jersey when he mans the post Saturday for the Baltimore-based “City of Gods’’

Sweetney had often talked about the funk he was in during his rookie year, with his father dying just one month after former Knicks general manager Scott Layden pulled the trigger on the rebounding, low-post scorer from Georgetown. Sweetney now realises he never pulled out of his malaise.

“I don’t think I was honest back then, but I’m now open to be able to say everything that happened was my fault and I own up to it,’’ the 6-foot-8 Sweetney said. “I was in a bad depression, didn’t eat right or work out enough and I ate myself out of the league. I’ve just owned up recently to the problems of depression. I think I was in depression mode for years and I didn’t get proper help. I was in denial.’’

Soon after Isiah Thomas took over as Knicks president, Sweetney was traded to the Bulls in 2005 following his second season. He played two seasons in Chicago and hasn’t played an NBA regular-season game since 2007. Sweetney attempted to come back, but was cut by the Celtics after training camp in 2009 and 2011.

Because of his three kids, Sweetney never wanted to play the long seasons in Europe. Instead he dabbled with the short-season ball in Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic and Uruguay.

But for the last 18 months, he hadn’t touched a basketball and his weight ballooned. He was saved in May when a group of guys from Washington he has known since before high school asked him to join their team for this new event.

and at the start.

Sweetney at the end of his NBA career ...

Also on the squad is former Knicks swingman DerMarr Johnson, Pops Mensah-Bonsu, a George Washington University alum, and Sweetney’s brother, Devin. The “City of Gods” have won five straight games to reach the semi-finals against Overseas Elite. Only the winning team will get to split the $1 million prize.

Sweetney probably never would have played had he not started seeing a psychiatrist six months ago and is hiring new trainers to get into better shape, still looking to play a couple of more years of pro ball.

“I’m not ready to shut it down, but I’m not doing it for that,’’ Sweetney said. “I’m doing it for my health. This is the most fun I’ve had playing basketball in a long time and it’s going to feel great to go back to New York.’’

In the quarterfinals, in Chicago, Sweetney’s team ousted “Boeheim’s Army,” with the former Hoya taking the eraser board in the huddles from head coach and former Wizards assistant Joe Connelly.

From his Big East memory, Sweetney showed the players the weak spots in the Syracuse-style 2-3 zone. Sweetney’s team nailed 13 3-pointers. On the team’s social-media page, a montage shows different time-out huddles. A Baltimore player could be heard yelling, referring to Sweetney’s girth: “If Mike’s out there hustling, we all can be.’’

Sweetney said if his pro comeback doesn’t pan out, he’s ready to get into coaching, on any level, just to be able to work with kids.

Originally published as NBA draft bust admits: ‘I ate myself out of the league’